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I have never been the one who really wants to go see the World Championship in hockey, it's fun to see it on TV, but that's it. Until the day my little brother made the team. We went to see two practice games that they played against Sweden and I discovered a new side of me. The one that screams and jumps up and down during the game, the one that swears and screams at the referees and so on, the one that really cares how it goes.And the thing that changed the most, I'll never tell a dissapointed, sad or angry fan that it is just a game. After those two practice games I decided if my brother makes the team for the World Championship, I have to go and see him play. The wait was long, only one day before the start of the tournament the team was final and he was on the team. Which for me meant, now I needed to do my part, get off work, book tickets, hotel and so on. I was too afraid of bad karma to buy them before I knew he had made it. Latvian team played great and won the first three games and so we were even more excited to go see how it will go for them against the really good ones like Sweden and USA. We left from home in the middle of the night, took the first flight to Berlin and while waiting I got a call from my brother. He was just asking where we were and how it was going, and then I heard that DING DONG airport like sound in the background, and then I knew that we will not be meeting him that day. It was the day of something bigger than any World Championship game, the day his daughter was born. I was full of emotions, huge happiness for them, I always cry when I get emotional, so I was really holding back tears and mixed feelings of OH NO, he's going home. But we were already on our way and knew that it will be great trip anyways. The first game against Sweden was close and fun to see, but I was not that same crazy fan. Next day my brother was back and we were now looking so much more to the next game against USA. Already on the way there we could see that it was so many more people than the last game against Sweden. We took a beer outside the arena and just enjoyed the pre game atmosphere there. And later during the game I thought that I should have take many more than that one, would had been good for my nerves. The game started in a full arena, 17 936 people were watching the game. Amazing atmosphere and me the crazy fan was back, I am not even sure if I was breathing during the time he was on the ice. Waving my flag and couldn't sit still, sorry the ones behind me, hope you could see something. And then one of the times his line was in I see him going forward and it looks dangerous and he makes a pass in front of the goal and they score!!!!! And I jump and scream and clap and probably do many weird moves, and we are leading against USA 1:0. At this moment there in doubt in me about the decision to come see him play, it was worth everything. Latvian team played so good, but unfortunately luck was on USA side and they won the game. But I am so proud of him! After the game we had some time do be true tourists and Maris joined us and we did some fun stuff. Took a bike taxi trough the city to take a cable train over the river and then ended the day with some classic german dinner with an amazing view of the cathedral. And I wished so much that we could stay longer, to be there to support them and just enjoy the amazing hockey celebration that it is, but now we're already home. It was an amazing couple days!

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The first time I moved from home I was 14 years old, full of expectations and so curious to see the world. I truly had amazing time in Salzburg for about 3 years.

After finishing high school I moved to Denmark for 5 years to study. And after that hockey brought me to Sweden and there I have lived for exactly 4 years now.

So I have always moved around and somehow wondered about where I am going to end up, which place am I going to call home for good. Riga will always be my home, does not matter where I am, but as it seems now it's not going to be the place where I will be living for the rest of my life. But never say never.

When I was younger the priority was always what I thought was fun at that moment, never really thought much about the future. But getting older has made me realise that it is good to think about the future. But how to decide where to live, where to buy a house, build a family. It will most likely be around here somewhere.

I miss big city life, that's what I have grown up with, that's where I enjoy endless opportunities for everything, but for many years I have lived in small towns, and I have learned to love the country life as well. Everything being walking distance away and the possibility to be close to nature without having to go anywhere far, it's just outside the window.

Living in an other country I have always felt a little misunderstood, and feeling different than others, but still in so many ways the same. It takes time to accept how people are and think in an other country, it's much easier to accept their food culture and living ways. It's the thinking and values that takes more time to figure out and to find a way how to put yourself in between all of that. It feels like of any place I have been at Sweden has the biggest pressure on themselves, having to do good at everything, which I see as an amazing quality. And swedes as very welcoming as long as you come with good intentions.

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The time after the hockey season ended has been restless and I have had hard time to fill all the free time. First we were planning a shopping weekend in Stockholm, but ended up going to Jönköping. We went to a hockey game, which was lots of fun, great with the playoffs now when the arena is filled with emotions from both teams and the supporters. When we checked in at the hotel, they told us that we got an upgrade, so we got a really nice room. We spent the evening searching for a place to eat, but all the places were booked up so we ended up eating at a sports bar, the place was not very cozy, but the food was very good. The morning after was my favorite part of hotel weekends, the breakfast. The restaurant was so beautiful and gave real spring feeling, it was in between the buildings with a glass window over. Later it was time for Sportfiskemässan 2017. I have been out fishing quite much with Adam and thought that I had little idea about everything. This place showed me that I had no idea, so much and so different stuff. There was a big aquarium where they showed a lot of stuff, that become my favorite place. Usually when we went fishing I always mostly enjoyed being outsite in the nature. But after the day there I have learned so much, so will be much more fun next time we are going to go for some big fish.

Much of the things we did this weekend was Adams favorite things, but after he always supports me on my kind of things it was fun to see more of his favorites.

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When I came to Leksand 3 years ago I could speak Danish, so I thought that learning Swedish will be peace of cake. 3 years later I was still speaking English to almost everyone. For some reason I had got stuck in my insecurities and could not get over myself and start speaking. I was speaking Swedish with my colleagues at work, but as soon as I would walk out the door I would switch to English. I made sure that I almost never meet work people with other people that I knew, to avoid someone hearing me. It had become quite a stressful nightmare. So I knew I have to get myself together and just try.

Last Tuesday I started a new job and that was my first day of speaking Swedish with everyone. I can honestly say one of the most stressful days in a very long time. I had expected that everyone will laugh at me and won't understand a thing I say. And weirdly enough for me none did laugh, and it seemed like they understood me too. Well of that little that I said that day, tried to speak as little as possible.

The day after came the biggest test for me, meeting my hockey team. The feeling inside of me was like I wished I was invisible that day. Tried to avoid eye contact just to have to start conversation with anyone. And funny enough the first thing happens when I walk in someone very loudly start to speak to me. Thank God a yes or no question, still hoping for a quiet rest of the day. I had that weird feeling like I wanted to talk and did not want on the same time. It was weird for me and it was weird for them, but somehow I got trough this day too.

Have you ever thought about it that persons voice changes depending on which language they talk. Weird, but it happens a lot, and it happened to me too. So I heard a lot that I sounded like another person, especially on the phone.

Now a week later I can honestly say that I am so happy I got over myself and can't wait for the day where I will feel comfortable with the language.

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Nights are getting colder and trees have turned their leaves in all possible colors. It's time for a change in my life too. The big change stated with a new job and hopefully beginning for the future I hope for.

Now it's only one month left until it's time to move. Adam and me will move to an apartment in Leksand. We started to talk about moving in together and look for an apartment already in the spring, but it has been hard to find a good apartment. When in august we went to look at one, I did not have big expectations, but it turned out to be the one. To be honest I don't remember much from it now, but the feeling was good when we were there. Very, very soon it's moving day and I'm very excited. Have never liked the apartment that I have now, so I can't wait to get out of there. Going from 27 to 71 square meters is gonna be a good change.

If some years ago I did not really care for home design then now I know exactly what I want to have and how it should be. The good thing is that Adam and me have very similar taste and hopefully we will agree on most of how, where and what we should have. For me it has always been important that my home has that home feeling, like it feels like someone lives there. Hope we'll be able to create that for us. Soon it will be okay to take up the moving boxes and start packing, and I can't wait for the moment when we'll put in the key in the door of the new apartment and start our journey together.